Suicide in Canadian First Nations
Suicide in Canadian First Nations
Suicide is intentionally causing your own death out of despair. It is considered a behavior and may result from a form of mental illness, but is not classified as a distinct psychiatric disorder. It can stem from different factors such as personal, social, financial or historical well-being. ("Mental health and wellness," 2013)
According to STATS Canada, suicide is the leading cause of death among Canadian aboriginals between youth and adults under 44 years old. (Kirmayer et al., 2007, p. xv)
The rate of suicide among aboriginal Canadians is three times higher than that of the general population, and the rate for Inuit youth is eleven times higher than the national average. These are some alarming numbers across Canada and the world. ("Mental health and wellness," 2013) For the purpose of this paper “Aboriginal Canadians” will include Inuit, Metis and all First nations’ status and non-status natives.
Canadian aboriginal youth are up to six times more likely to commit suicide compared to non-aboriginal youth. Youth on reserves are six times more likely than aboriginal youth off reserve to commit suicide. Canadian aboriginal males are more than twice as likely to commit suicide as females however females make attempts more often. (Kirmayer et al., 1993, p. 5)
Even with the knowledge of these alarming statistics there is still not enough education, ethno cultural information or evaluation and intervention programs available; especially on the reserves where healthcare in general is hard to come by, let alone mental health education. (Kirmayer et al., 1993, p. 5)
This paper will outline the reasons, risk factors and interventions needed to reduce the increasing rate of suicide among aboriginal people in Canada.
There are many reasons attributed to the claims by Canadian aboriginals about the alarming increase in suicide rates across the country. First is the horrifying past of the residential schools of the 1970’s that still
Suicide is intentionally causing your own death out of despair. It is considered a behavior and may result from a form of mental illness, but is not classified as a distinct psychiatric disorder. It can stem from different factors such as personal, social, financial or historical well-being. ("Mental health and wellness," 2013)
According to STATS Canada, suicide is the leading cause of death among Canadian aboriginals between youth and adults under 44 years old. (Kirmayer et al., 2007, p. xv)
The rate of suicide among aboriginal Canadians is three times higher than that of the general population, and the rate for Inuit youth is eleven times higher than the national average. These are some alarming numbers across Canada and the world. ("Mental health and wellness," 2013) For the purpose of this paper “Aboriginal Canadians” will include Inuit, Metis and all First nations’ status and non-status natives.
Canadian aboriginal youth are up to six times more likely to commit suicide compared to non-aboriginal youth. Youth on reserves are six times more likely than aboriginal youth off reserve to commit suicide. Canadian aboriginal males are more than twice as likely to commit suicide as females however females make attempts more often. (Kirmayer et al., 1993, p. 5)
Even with the knowledge of these alarming statistics there is still not enough education, ethno cultural information or evaluation and intervention programs available; especially on the reserves where healthcare in general is hard to come by, let alone mental health education. (Kirmayer et al., 1993, p. 5)
This paper will outline the reasons, risk factors and interventions needed to reduce the increasing rate of suicide among aboriginal people in Canada.
There are many reasons attributed to the claims by Canadian aboriginals about the alarming increase in suicide rates across the country. First is the horrifying past of the residential schools of the 1970’s that still
References: Anaya, J. (2013, October 15). Statement upon conclusion of the visit to canada. United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples. Retrieved from http://unsr.jamesanaya.org/statements/statement-upon-conclusion-of-the-visit-to-canada Commisso, C., & Macyshon, J. (Reporter). (2013, October 15). CTV News [Webisode]. Retrieved from http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-faces-a-crisis-on-aboriginal-reserves-un-investigator-1.1497612 First nations and inuit health. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/promotion/mental/index-eng.php Kirmayer, L., Brass, G., Holton, T., Paul, K., Simpson, C., & Tait, C. (2007). Suicide among aboriginal people in canada. In The aboriginal healing foundation. Retrieved from http://www.ahf.ca/downloads/suicide.pdf Kirmayer, L., Hayton, B., Malus, M., Jimenez, V., Dufour, R., Quesney, C., ... Ferrara, N. (1993). Report number 1: Suicide in canadian aboriginal populations: Emerging trends in research and intervention. Retrieved from http://www.mcgill.ca/files/tcpsych/Report1.pdf MacMillian, H., MacMillian, A., Offord, D., & Dingle, J. (1996, December 1). Aboriginal health. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 155(11), 1570-1577. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1334995/pdf/cmaj00107-0037.pdf Olson, R. (2013). Canada’s aboriginal communities and suicide: Called to listen, called to understand. Center for Suicide Prevention, 11, 1-4. Retrieved from https://suicideinfo.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=JEM4FDfgWtA%3D&tabid=618